A fresh batch of Meditation in the News .. what tickled my interest this week.

1. People who keep their cell phones on “silent mode” share similar psychological traits: 

A recent study from Kyung Hee University, reported by Earth.com, reveals that individuals who keep their cell phones on silent mode often share psychological traits linked to reduced stress, enhanced focus, and improved workplace well-being. Key findings: Mindfulness and Autonomy: Choosing when to engage with your phone supports mindfulness and gives a stronger sense of control and presence. Mindfulness and Stress Reduction: Using mindfulness tools and silencing phones led to lower stress, reduced burnout, and improved focus and vitality. Cognitive Benefits: Even a silent phone can be distracting, but muting and removing it from view helps free up mental space. Enhanced Focus and Productivity: Silencing phones helps reduce interruptions, allowing for deeper focus and more efficient task completion.

This article definitely jumped out at me – someone has finally said out loud what I’ve quietly kept secret for more than five years. Yep! my phone is permanently, 24/7 on silent. And I’ve set it so unknown callers don’t ring through at all. It all started when my number somehow landed on a sold list, and for months I was getting around 10 calls a day from scammers and bots. At first, I simply put my phone on silent. Then, late at night, I’d remove my callback number and return the calls … every single one turned out to be spam. That’s when I decided: if it’s really important, someone will leave a message.

What surprised me was how much I loved the silence. I loved choosing when to pause and check my phone. I’d already made sure that close friends and family were registered as priority contacts, so if something urgent came up, their call would still come through after a couple of rings. But the freedom! I remember reading a few years back that an entrepreneur had said, “Why would I allow anyone with a phone to interrupt my workday?” Instead, he scheduled time in his calendar to return calls—and I thought, yes. That’s the feeling. Ultimate freedom. So it’s been lovely to see new research backing up what once felt like such an odd little habit.

You can read more here: People who keep their cell phones on “silent mode”

2. What Meditation Inspired Art Looks Like:

Loved this article inside Yoga Journal which reflects on how some female artists have historically integrated meditation and spiritual practices into their creative processes. Mentioned are figures like, Hilma af Klint: a pioneer of abstract art who used meditation and séances to access spiritual guidance, believing her work was channeled from higher consciousness; Emma Kunz: a Swiss healer and artist, who used a pendulum and meditative states to create intricate geometric drawings intended for healing and insight; and Agnes Pelton: who was deeply spiritual, meditated daily and translated her mystical experiences into luminous, symbolic abstract paintings. A fascinating article that highlights how both art and meditation encourage curiosity and a deeper exploration of the human experience. And, by engaging in practices like yoga, journaling, and meditation, these women could tap into something beyond the self and express themselves more authentically. 

I love how this reflects my own experience of meditation, which invariably super-powers my sense of creativity and flow of ideas, every day!

You can read more here: yogajournal.com

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‘Meditation in the News’ is my attempt to build a regular habit of reading, digesting and sharing some of the (many) articles and press releases that I receive daily about meditation and meditation research. I hope you enjoy it!

Read past editions of: ‘Meditation in the News‘